Molly R. Shepard, Ph.D.

Assistant Professor of Practice in Leadership and Organizational Behavior

Dr. Molly R. Shepard holds the position of Assistant Professor of Practice in Leadership and Organizational Behavior at the Zimpleman College of Business and serves as Co-Director of the Master of Science in Leadership program within the School of Education at Drake University. With extensive business experience spanning her career as a student, researcher, and educator, Dr. Shepard brings a distinctly global perspective to leadership development and organizational behavior.

Her international expertise is woven throughout her academic and professional work. As a trained Intercultural Development Inventory (IDI) Administrator and intercultural competency development specialist, she has participated in several transformative international travel seminars, including Madagascar, the Bahamas, and Finland, with an upcoming program planned to Malaysia-Singapore. These immersive educational experiences reflect her commitment to developing a global perspective in future leaders.

Dr. Shepard's international foundation began with her B.A. in International Management and French from Central College and was further strengthened through her MBA with an emphasis in International Business from Loyola University Chicago. Her private sector career included extensive work with domestic and international suppliers, where she led lean manufacturing implementations across global supply chains and conducted supplier quality audits in support of international standards.

In the classroom, Dr. Shepard's global perspective infuses the courses she teaches, where she draws upon her international business background as well as her intercultural expertise. Her teaching portfolio reflects a deep understanding of how cultural competency and global awareness are essential components of contemporary leadership development.

As a Narrative Big 5 Certified Professional with expertise in continuous improvement methodologies, Dr. Shepard bridges her international business experience with her academic focus on leadership development, creating learning experiences that prepare leaders for our interconnected global economy. Her scholarly pursuits continue to explore cultural competency development and the impact of inclusivity in workplace leadership across diverse cultural contexts. Dr. Shepard holds a Ph.D. in Educational Leadership from Drake University.